This column expresses the personal opinions/views of the
writer. If you would like to express your opinions/views
regarding the column, write a SIGNED letter to the
editor. Name can be withheld by request with a valid day
time phone number.

DVD Picks

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE
BARLEY - IFC Films

Set in 1916 in
Ireland, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY is the story of
Damien (Cillain Murphy), a young Irishman about to fulfill
his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. When his friend is
brutally murdered for standing up to a band of British
soldiers, Damien abandons his medical career and joins his
brother Teddy (Padraic Delany) in the fight for freedom.
Small guerrilla groups of Irish farmers begin to wage bloody
attacks, forcing the government to negotiate a ceasefire.
The Anglo-Irish Peace Treaty is offered, but it puts Teddy
and Damien at odds. Teddy believes they should accept the
treaty and try to work within the system to avoid further
bloodshed, while Damien thinks they should continue to fight
until they are completely free of British rule. Whereas the
two brothers used to fight side by side, they now find
themselves divided, and forced to choose between their
familial bond and their ardent beliefs.

Murphy and Delany both give standout
performances as the battling brothers. Murphy flashes his
otherworldly blue eyes and conveys his character’s fierce
intellect, as well as the deep sadness of his struggle.
Delany, for his part, tries to come off as all brawn and
bravery, but cannot conceal his sensitive heart--his face
glows with rage one minute, then crumples into sorrow the
next. Director Ken Loach, who won the Palme d’Or for the
film, has created a deeply personal war story, with an
attention to detail that is heartbreaking in its realism.
The sight of the young men training for battle with hurley
bats instead of rifles will make the viewer gasp at the
disparity between the warring sides. While some might flinch
at the graphic violence depicted, the film stands strong as
a raw, human portrait of a deeply troubled moment in
history.

FRAGGLE ROCK: Season Three - HIT

This show surrounds the wild and crazy
adventures of creatures that live below the ground. If you
like the Muppet Show, this show is for you. The same quality
of the Muppet Show and Sesame Street are contained here in
Fraggle rock. Jim Henson’s magic is evident with this clever
show surrounding the life of Fraggles as they go from one
adventure to another living every moment of life to its
fullest. The puppetry is great, the voices are entertaining
and the songs are cute. They just don’t make shows like this
anymore. I highly recommend this for younger viewers. Long
live Fraggle rock.

BOB THE BUILDER: Scrambler to the Rescue - HIT

This is an educational show featuring
Bob, the builder who helps kids make the right choices in
life. As far as this show goes, younger kids will enjoy the
program. Bob is funny and says just the right thing to make
you laugh. The animation and color schemes are great for
young eyes with lots of campy music and funny stories.
Watching this program is like seeing your Fischer Price toys
come to life. The overall premise of the show helps kids
make the right choices and learn things while having fun. I
highly recommend this show for families with very small
children. You can’t go wrong with this one. The DVD is
presented in Full Screen format with crisp picture and
sound.

DEATH PROOF - Dimension

Master director Quentin Tarantino
indulges his inner fanboy by paying homage to his favorite
B-movies in DEATH PROOF. Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) stalks
beautiful women with his deadly vintage car, but when he
picks a trio of tough girls (Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thoms,
and Zoe Bell), he learns they aren’t such easy prey. As with
any Tarantino film, there are plenty of nods to pop culture.
Most of the scenes are deliberately short on plot
development, the dialogue comes thick and fast throughout,
and the film stock is often cleverly manipulated to
perfectly replicate the B-movie aesthetic.

CAROLINA MOON - Sony

Claire Forlaini, Oliver Hudson and
Jacqueline Bisset star in this exciting thriller about a
woman returning to her hometown to make peace with her
unsettling past. Tory (Forlani) knew coming home wouldn’t be
easy, even if she didn’t have a gift for psychic visions. A
trip down memory lane means reliving horrific images that
flashed through her mind many years before, the night her
childhood friend Hope was brutally killed. As though that
weren’t twisted enough, Tory soon discovers that Hope’s
death was only the first in a string of murders that have
continued every year since that terrible day. And the worst
part? This sociopath has been waiting patiently for Tory’s
return. So now she’s got two choices: use her supernatural
powers to catch this killer or end up his next victim!

DELTA FARCE (Blu-Ray) - Lions Gate

Blue Collar Comedy Tour veterans Larry
the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall team up in DELTA FARCE, a
military-spoof comedy featuring their southern red-neck
stand-up schtick. Bill and Larry, along with their scrawny
friend Everett (played by DJ Qualls), are weekend warriors
in the Army reserves. Not only have they not trained, but
they see the weekend as a getaway from the pressures of
their daily lives. But with the military’s forces depleted
by the no-end-in-sight Iraq War, they turn to their
reservists. Bill, Larry, and Everett are thrown into
whirlwind boot-camp sessions, led by the commanding
powerhouse Sgt. Kilgore (Keith David), to prepare for their
upcoming deployment to Iraq. On their overnight flight to
the Middle East, a thunderstorm threatens the cargo carrier,
and equipment fitted with parachutes is dumped to lighten
the load. Unfortunately, this includes the three bumbling
friends, who sought refuge in an all-terrain vehicle to
catch up on some sleep. They wake up in the desert, confused
and disoriented, and assume they’ve reached the mission
destination. But it turns out they aren’t anywhere near
Iraq--they’ve landed in Mexico, where they stumble upon a
small village that has been overrun and terrorized by
gun-wielding gangsters.

TROY: Special Edition - Warner

Throughout time, men have waged war. Some
for power, some for glory, some for honor - and some for
love. In ancient Greece, the passion of two of literature’s
most notorious lovers, Paris, Prince of Troy (ORLANDO BLOOM)
and Helen (DIANE KRUGER), Queen of Sparta, ignites a war
that will devastate a civilization. When Paris spirits Helen
away from her husband, King Menelaus (BRENDAN GLEESON), it
is an insult that cannot be suffered. Familial pride
dictates that an affront to Menelaus is an affront to his
brother Agamemnon (BRIAN COX), powerful King of the
Mycenaeans, who soon unites all the massive tribes of Greece
to steal Helen back from Troy in defense of his brother’s
honor. In truth, Agamemnon’s pursuit of honor is corrupted
by his overwhelming greed - he needs to conquer Troy to
seize control of the Aegean, thus ensuring the supremacy of
his already vast empire. The walled city, under the
leadership of King Priam (PETER O’TOOLE) and defended by
mighty Prince Hector (ERIC BANA), is a citadel that no army
has ever been able to breach. One man alone stands as the
key to victory or defeat over Troy - Achilles (BRAD PITT),
believed to be the greatest warrior alive. Arrogant,
rebellious and seemingly invincible, Achilles has allegiance
to nothing and no one, save his own glory. It is his
insatiable hunger for eternal renown that leads him to
attack the gates of Troy under Agamemnon’s banner - but it
will be love that ultimately decides his fate. Two worlds
will go to war for honor and power. Thousands will fall in
pursuit of glory. And for love, a nation will burn to the
ground.

BEYOND THE GATES - Fox

Joe Connor has come to teach in Rwanda
because he believes he can make a difference. When the
school becomes a haven for thousands of Rwandans fleeing the
genocide, Joe promises his brightest pupil, Marie, that the
UN soldiers will protect her from the hordes of extremist
militia baying for blood outside the school. But when the UN
abandon the refugees, Joe and the school’s headmaster,
Father Christopher, face an agonising dilemma: should they
leave or should they stand firm with the Rwandans. As the UN
trucks force their way through the terrified refugees, Joe
stares at the tear-stained face of Marie: what should he do?
What would you do? Based on real events and filmed at the
actual location where this story took place, Beyond the
Gates is directed by Michael Caton-Jones and stars John Hurt
and Hugh Dancy. It is an emotionally gripping, authentic and
powerful recreation of a tragic real life story that took
place during the Rwandan genocide in 1994.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT:Season One
- Sony

His mid-season replacement earned a loyal
fanship when it premiered in 2007. The comedy revolves
around two couples and their lone single friend, played by
David Spade. As a newlywed couple (Oliver Hudson and Bianca
Kajlich) navigates the tough terrain of marriage, old pros
Patrick Warburton and Megyn Price share the wisdom they’ve
gathered after many years of marriage. Meanwhile, Russell
(Spade) is all on his own. The whole first season is
included here.

TWO AND A HALF MEN: Season One - Warner

Charlie Harper is a bachelor in paradise,
complete with a Malibu beach house, overpaid job and a very
active dating life. Then his uptight brother Alan, in the
throes of divorce, moves in and brings his 10 year old son
Jake with him. Sorry, Charlie. It looks like paradise lost!
This four disc set includes all 24 season one episodes of
the breezy comedy that stars Charlie Sheen and Job Cryer. As
the brothers reestablish a sense of family, Charlie also
bonds with Jake (Angus T. Jones). Meet the Harper men - two
adults, one kid, and no grown ups!